Sama Vandy Sama may have now left his hospital bed in the Kenema Government Hospital after he had spent days there. Vandy Sama is the Secretary-General of the ruling SLPP (Sierra Leone People’s Party) in Kenema district. He was brutally physically attacked by his SLPP comrades after an acrimony aroused within the SLPP office in Kenema.
The Criminal Investigations Department in Kenema police station have received several reports out of the violence. Police medical forms have been issued to those who sustained injuries for medical examination and treatment. Investigation into the violence still continues.
Very important personalities in the district including the Resident Minister East, Andrew Fatorma have been accused to have masterminded the violence. The authorities could not be reached for comments.
The conflict emanated from the custodianship of the party cards brought in by Honourable Sartie Banya who represents one of the constituencies in Kailahun district, east of Sierra Leone. It was a conflict between the party Secretary-General in Kenema, Sama Vandy and the Chairman, Mohamed S. Koroma.
The SLPP office was vandalised during the violence, and threats of vandalism continued. Claims and counter claims were heard from both sides.
As the violence continued, the SLPP office in Kenema was taken over by personnel of the Operations Support Division, the armed wing of the Sierra Leone Police (SLP). Guard of the office continued as threats of further violence loom.
It is unclear where will the political violence end. The latest violence is not the only the latest sad occurrence in the eastern town; uncounted incidents of violence have occurred there on a number of occasions.
In the 2018 elections, Kenema also fell into violence that claimed lives. Property was also destroyed.
An armed guard to the former resident minister, Maya Moiwo Kaikai was disarmed by youths in Kenema. The weapon, once fallen into wrong hands, became a source of worry for the authorities. The entire Kenema township was put under siege by SLPP thugs who forced the former Assistant-General Police (AIG), Alfred Karrow Kamara to take French leave.
At the time Kenema was engulfed by violence, the AIG’s whereabouts remained unknown. The escape of the regional police commander signalled a collapse of law and order. The peaceful civilians were abandoned to their fate, and rendered vulnerable to the armed thugs. Reports of beatings and killings came from Kenema town spelling a dark future for the town.
The violence which started in the pre-election and election stages continued on to the post election period.
In the pre-election period, a violence that occurred in Kenema led to the death of one SLPP member. Reports indicated that he was stabbed to death by a colleague SLPP comrade.
In the pre-election period, Chief Somano Kapen who was Chairman of the party for years was disgracefully thrown out of a hall in Kenema where intense political contest for party positions were on-going.
Kapen was accused of supporting Dr Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella, the main rival of President Julius Maada Bio for the SLPP flag-bearership.
An APC agent who was going to send reports of electoral malpractice after the election was brutally attacked by thugs. Other residents in the community deemed to have lent their support to the other party were also targeted.
The youths continued their wanton destruction of property until sanity was restored later. The violence which broke out in the pre-election period also continued when SLPP is in governance. Further violence is expected to occur as the police seem jittery and panic-stricken to investigate members of a ruling party.
A political and social commentator has told this press that it is only when the law is enforced without fear and favour that can peace be ensured in society. The commentator is of the view that any person is equal in the eyes of the law regardless of political affiliations.
He argues that the law is neutral in content, and must be also neutral in effect.
“A supporter of either a ruling or an opposition party who breaches the law should be made to bear the consequence. It is only with a neutral and robust enforcement of the law that can society achieve peace,” he argued.
The enforcement mechanism the commentator proposes is the ideal, but it is a mere fantasy and figment of imagination for Sierra Leone’s body politic. It would be difficult for the country to reach such level of civility as politicians rely on the youths to unleash violence to political opponents during elections and after elections. The most embarrassing side of the political violence is the apprehensive mood of the law enforcement agency to stop the violence in politics.
Behind the fear, there is a secret, and that secret is the effective control of the security forces by civilian authorities. The President is head of the National Security Committee which is the highest security body for the country.
Almost invariably, the Resident Minister is head of the Provincial Security Committee which comprises the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the police region and the Brigade Commander who is head of the army in the region. The chairman of any district in Sierra Leone is head of the District Security Committee which consists of the Local Unit Commander who heads the police in the district and the Battalion Commander who heads the army there.
The security posture is a post-war creation recommended by the TRC (Truth and Reconciliation Commission) Report of 2002. The report had recommended that successive governments must devise new principles of security that reflect the will of Sierra Leoneans to live in perpetual peace.
Besides the security posture, the President is head of the army while the Vice President is head of the police force. The security arrangement which is for the peace and security of the state is being manipulated to lord it over the opposition.
The authorities are civilians who have their political party at hearts. They would not hesitate to defend the interest of their political parties as they made them who they are.
In such a situation, it would be extremely difficult for the police to investigate incidents of political violence especially when they occur within ruling parties.
Senior police officers especially LUC’s, AIG’s and even the Inspector-General would tread cautiously not to incur the wrath of a ruling party. They stand the risk of losing their jobs should they venture to tread on the interest of government.
So be it in Kenema district. Despite reports of incidents of political violence, the police find it extremely difficult to arrest, investigate and prosecute. Violence in Kenema is a replication of SLPP violence since the PAOPA ideology was initiated and propounded within the party.
Its origin could be traced to the period 2017/2018 when flag-bearers of SLPP formed a united front to see the back of the former flag-bearer now President Julius Maada Bio. Their position was the SLPP manifesto did not allow a presidential candidate who had run once and failed to contest again.
Until its review quite recently, the constitution says a presidential candidate who runs once and fails should be an ex-officio member. It was in compliance with that provision that Vice President Solomon Ekuma Berewa became an ex-officio member of the party after he lost the presidential election in 2007.
But, President Bio never became an ex-officio as he relied on grassroot support.
The slogan: ‘No Bio, NO SLPP’ in 2017 sent a loud and compelling message to the party stakeholders.
The PAOPA, in spite of any manipulation of meaning is the rule at all cost regardless of the consequences. It is that violence that continues to characterise the New Direction Government to date.